Intelligent Networked Navigation of Mobile Robots with Collision Avoidance

Abstract

A major part of mobile robotics research is focused on the navigation of a team of networked mobile robots in indoor and/or outdoor environments. The navigation is indeed an important module as it allows necessary control operations for mobile robots. In addition, this module empowers robots to maneuver efficiently and effectively. In most cases, this task requires an accurate mathematical model of the environment, path, and trajectory of robots. The fuzzy logic-based robot navigation strategy proved its power when mathematical models of robots and their operating environments are unknown precisely. In this paper, we propose a full-fledged robot navigation strategy where a team of mobile robots navigates along a predefined set of waypoints in an indoor environment while avoiding a collision. The proposed navigation system consists of two parts that are currently being developed. The first part of the navigation system described in this paper is the fuzzy logic control, which determines appropriate actuator commands for the robots' actuators. The second part is the Petri-net model. While the former part is employed to avoid obstacles and reaching waypoints, the latter one illustrates a collision avoidance strategy among multiple robots. A part of theoretical results presented in this paper is backed up by computer simulations.